General News
10 June, 2026
Early start
CRUSHING AT the Tully sugar mill has kicked off to an earlier than usual seasonal start this year – with a larger cane crop expected to be processed than in 2025.
Already more than 90,000 tonnes had been through the mill a week after crushing began on 28 May.
Estimates for the 2026 season at Tully are about 2.4-2.5 million tonnes, significantly up from last season’s 2.16 million tonnes.
Canegrowers Tully chairman Bryce Macdonald says the current crop estimate equates to between 81 and 86 tonnes of cane per hectare, with the long-term average being at about 84.5 tonnes per hectare.
The Commercial Cane Sugar (CCS) level is around normal for the start of the season.
“The sugar’s probably where we expect to be this time of year with the past three or four weeks of winter, so it’s around 12.75, 12.76, that is the average, so far that’s gone through the mill,” Mr Macdonald told The Observer.
He says an early start is “always a good start” especially looking ahead to the next season.
“The earlier the start, the earlier the finish and the results are much better for the next year’s crop; you get a better growth period, if you start earlier,” he said.
“Our traditional start date is the 15th of June and growers and the mill take every opportunity to start earlier if they can. The mill’s ready and the weather permits.
“As the crushing season progresses, the CCS changes, hopefully upward to a seasonal average of around 13.5-14.0 units or higher – and that will be largely dependent on finer weather, particularly less rain until late November-early December.
Tully Sugar’s John Edwards says with the unpredictability of weather, harvesting and crushing downtime has varied dramatically over the years.
“In 2009, I think we lost eight hours for wet weather and then in 2010 we lost 1500 – so that’s the range that we can be exposed to,” he said.
“But typically, 480 to 500 hours lost time with weather is typical for Tully.”
Further north at South Johnstone Mill, crushing is expected to start either on 16 or 23 June, again depending on weather and how much rain there is over the next week or so.
But the Innisfail area’s crop is not looking as good this year as Tully’s.
Canegrowers Innisfail chairman Joe Marano said the region’s cane was being investigated for a suspected disease which has possibly affected its quality and yield.
“You can see it even when you drive past the crops up here,” Mr Marano said. “You can see it’s not as green as in areas further south like Mackay.
“We need to fix this, but so far it is an unidentified problem,” he said. “The best thing at the moment is the nice weather we’ve been having and we hope it will continue.”
The industry has again reminded the public to be on the lookout for cane trains at all times during the season. “Slow down, pay attention to flashing lights and always stop completely at all sugarcane rail crossings to ensure local farming families, haulage crews and motorists make it home safely every day,” a post by Queensland Cane Agriculture and Renewables said.
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